Several prior systems and methods exist to measure and utilize viscosity measurements of motor oil an automobile and provide a driver with information on whether the motor oil should be changed. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,470 B1 to Berndorfer et al. is directed to an apparatus and method for determining a change in the viscosity of a fluid. The apparatus and method includes heating a portion of the liquid and determining the rise time and average velocity of the heated portion between a heat source and a sensor, to determine viscosity A baseline rise time and baseline average velocity are used to compare to the rise time and average velocity to determine the change in viscosity of the fluid, and to indicate whether the fluid should be changed. This indication can be shown on the control panel of an automobile.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,952,951 B2 to Jacoby is directed to measuring viscosity of a liquid as a function of temperature. The method and device measures viscosity using a viscosity sensor and measures temperature using a temperature sensor. The method and device comes to a conclusion on the temperature and on the viscosity at a specified point in time, and discards and/or corrects one of these measured values as a result of the degree of inhomogeneity in the temperature distribution. An absolute value of the temporal difference quotient of the temperature measured value is ascertained as a measure of the inhomogeneity of the temperature of the liquid. A certain threshold indicates an acceptable reduction in temporal difference or temperature gradient.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,901,788 B2 to Han et al. is directed to an oil change sensing system for an internal combustion engine. An oil pressure sensor located in an oil sump senses oil pressure, a temperature sensor senses temperature of the oil, and a revolutions per minute (RPM) sensor senses RPM speed of the motor, at specific times and for new and/or old oil. Multiple readings are taken. When the oil temperature exceeds 80 degrees Celsius at an idle speed, the system has an engine control module which uses this information to calculate viscosity for the oil and compare the viscosity to preexisting old or new old viscosity data from actual readings previously taken or from look-up tables, as a function of at least one of the oil pressure, oil temperature and engine RPM.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,917,865 B2 to Arai et al. is directed to an engine oil degradation determining system. A crankshaft angle sensor detects engine rotational speed of an internal combustion engine, and a control unit calculates a cumulative revolution number which is indicative of the degradation level of the engine oil. An oil level detector detects the oil level or the engine oil. If the detected oil level is lower than a predetermined lower level while the engine is stopped, or when the engine is started and the oil level is higher than a predetermined higher limit, the calculated cumulative revolution number is corrected in the direction of indicating a lower degradation level.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,819 B2 to Schoess is directed to an apparatus for determining the condition of engine lubricating oil. The apparatus includes a sensor having a plurality of spaced apart electrode pairs on a nonconductive polymer film. The sensor averages signal output to reduce operational electromagnetic interference noise. A forcing function waveform reactive circuit is applied to the sensor as a common voltage potential. The output current from the sensor is then transformed to an equivalent voltage and compared to predetermined values to determine the condition of the oil, and will trigger a trouble code if the equivalent voltage falls within a predetermined range.
The above systems, apparatuses, and methods include bulky sensors which are sometimes unreliable, in part due to the limited information which such sensors are able to provide for determining related parameters. These parameters may be indicative of viscosity through the combination of such parameters with other measured parameters through calculations, look up tables, and other mechanisms. These mechanisms and parameters are a product of the measured or sensed information and thus have inherent potential drawbacks associated with such measured or sensed information. The sensors themselves also have significant limitation on where such sensors can be placed and utilized based on the construction of such sensors and the limitations of manufacturers in creating reliable sensors for measuring or sensing necessary information for parameters used in the calculation or determination of the viscosity of a liquid.
The present invention is provided to solve or address these and other problems.